Watford’s American Star Ready for Premiership

The days at Watford’s Vicarage Road are quite different now than they were when Elton John bought the Fourth Division club during the 1976-1977 season. Incredibly, the club rose to the First Division in the early 1980s and finished their first season in the top flight second to the eventual champions, Liverpool.

That meteoric rise sounds like the career of young American Jay DeMerit, who passed on his chance to try to make it in the MLS and instead moved to England on a whim, playing in a pub league and another amateur side. His guts lead to a friendly against Watford, who later signed a one year contract with him.

About The Author

Publisher of World Soccer Talk, Christopher Harris founded the site in 2005. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Guardian and several other publications. Plus he has made appearances on NPR, BBC World, CBC, BBC Five Live, talkSPORT and beIN SPORT.
Harris, who was born and raised in Wales, has lived in Florida since 1984, and supported Swansea City since 1979. Last but not least, he got engaged during half-time of a MLS game.